Meatball964

What are these S2000 mechanical issues you speak of ?
Mines asks nothing but oil/filters in the 55k miles I've logged.
Never tracked it, but driven in anger often enough. Gearbox to die for.

DoninDen

They are fun little cars that never break. There is a term "snick" for the feel of the gears when you shift. It's a very descriptive word and good feel.

One thing a friend warned me regarding storing a car in Florida is you need to AC the garage because the heat and humidity in the garage will be harmful to the car.

Monkey Brain

My choices:

997 S
S2000
Miata

My beater is a 2000 Honda Civic. 96k. I bought it new. Great car. Doesn't break. Slow as hell. But the chicks dig it.

Mr.Woolery

My first car was a Miata. I bought it new in the summer of 1989. I still have it, and love driving it just as much as my other cars (993,Lotus Exige, Ariel Atom, etc.). Anyone who disparages the Miata without having driven one is just ignorant...I consider them a sort of Japanese version of the early 911.

IXLR8

Good choice. Its Japanese and low maintenance; turn the key and drive it. When they came out, they reminded me of a Lotus Elan, but reliable.

I've been to FL; once to see my sport bike and other times to visit. With the roads so straight and flat, I could not be bothered having anything ultra-exciting there.

Almost forgot...as for the easy living part...freedom 55.

race911

Funny that I wrestle with this as we're likely to pick up another place to semi-move to in a year or so. Problem with leaving a 911 there is............when you're on Permanent Vacation you need occupy your time. And that means hauling stuff around. Golf clubs, skis/boards, kayak, or race car (?!?!). Not to mention the DIY around said vacation house, which means this and that from Lowes/Home Depot/etc.

So I always come to the conclusion I'll need at least a 1/2 ton truck, small open trailer, and something trackworthy.

Rinty

Well, this is the only downside of Porsche ownership for me: worrying about getting hit, and about vandalism when parked.

With a Japanese sports car there is no worrying. It's unfortunate how some cars (and some bikes, as well) get tagged as chick machines.

Onami

Reminds me of when I first starting working full-time. Porsche had a promo where you sent in your business card and they sent you a diecast 944 with an invitation to come in for a test drive. I loved that car....until the girl in the office next to me commented on the "poor man's porche" model on my desk

nine9six

In Porsche circles, isnt the Boxster refered to as a, "girls car" despite its mid-engined handling capabilities?

My ex had a Miata, and I have to admit it was a blast to drive, with little to no wrenching required. Gas n go.

race911

What are "mid-engined handling capabilities"? You can pretty much do anything you want with any production based car, no matter the driveline configuration or suspension design.

My Spec Miata is the most frustrating, difficult to drive on-limit of anything in my fleet. I've not really driven it much since 2010, but given it was a car that held four lap records in Northern California (in addition to being the Pro Series winner and pole car/2nd place finisher in the pro National Championship in its day), I never could get within a second of any of those laps. Porsche could only design a more complicated version of a basic front engined/rear drive, four cylinder, two seat sports car if they ever cared to enter the market.

doberdog

The Miata is one of the best cars on the road. Period. Try one if you never have, most fun for the $.

nile13

S2, I vaguely heard of transmission and differential problems, mostly. Some complains about oil consumption. I can ask a few S2000 guys I autocross with for more details. But in this case I just felt that Miata is an easier daily car than S2000. For autocross work I'd also go with Miata. For track - probably S2000.